Metro Park is back, with a special quarantine edition spin-off series.
Today, the five-part series premiered on Eros Now, the Indian streaming platform. Each episode of the comedy series lasts three to five minutes, detailing the antics of a Gujarati Hindu expatriate family in the US. It stars veteran actor Ranvir Shorey along with Omi Vaidya, Pitobash Tripathy, Purbi Joshi and Vega Tamotia.
The groundbreaking series is one of the first to be filmed in lockdown with each member of cast and crew contributing from home.
Speaking to The National, Shorey and director Ajayan Venugopalan conceded that, while the familiarity of the first season made it easier for everyone to be on the same page, there were challenges for each crew member, as they were forced to wear several hats and make do with limited resources.
Shorey said: "I had done a digital course, almost 20 years ago when I was in my 30s, [at] the New York Academy. Thankfully I have kept the skills relevant. So I was shooting myself, setting up the lighting ... We hope our effort brings a smile to people's faces in these tough times."
When it became clear in March that season two would have to be pushed back amid the coronavirus pandemic, Venugopalan sat down to write the script for the quarantine special, in a bid to bridge the gap.
Ridhima Lulla, Chief Content Officer at Eros Group, said: "The turn-around time was approximately 24 days to create the series from scratch. Also, since there was no precedent set earlier, we were equally excited and were striving to achieve something no one else has.
We hope our effort brings a smile to people's faces in these tough times
"To create a highly entertaining and significant piece of content while adhering to all the lockdown restrictions has its own set of challenges."
Speaking about the challenges,Venugopalan says the planning stages included elaborate discussions and sharing of notes in Zoom meetings, despite the 12-hour time difference between India and US. Venugopalan, Lulla and Vaidya among others are in US currently.
"Since we cannot go out, we had to use each of the actors' homes and limited props. So each actor gave us a thorough tour of their houses and we planned the angles and technicalities, and with the help of technology got it all together," Venugopalan said.
It is inevitable that the Covid-19 pandemic is a key theme in the comedy series. However, both Shorey and Venugopalan expressed confidence that it has been handled sensitively, and that people won't be offended, as due care has been taken.
Writer Venugopalan said: "We were aware that there is a line we cannot cross. To be honest, a large part of the script evolved as things went by. For example, when we got stuck with how to shoot in a particular scenario, our natural reactions in virtual meetings became the impromptu script, and we went along."
Eros Now has more than 186.9 million registered users and 26.2m paid subscribers. The parent company, Eros International, has distribution partnerships with Amazon, Apple and NBC universal among others. It merged with Hollywood studio STX Entertainment last month and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
RESULTS
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs
Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel
Battery: Rimac 120kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power: 1877bhp
Torque: 2300Nm
Price: Dh7,500,00
On sale: Now
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
More on Quran memorisation:
More on animal trafficking
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Essentials
The flights
Return flights from Dubai to Windhoek, with a combination of Emirates and Air Namibia, cost from US$790 (Dh2,902) via Johannesburg.
The trip
A 10-day self-drive in Namibia staying at a combination of the safari camps mentioned – Okonjima AfriCat, Little Kulala, Desert Rhino/Damaraland, Ongava – costs from $7,000 (Dh25,711) per person, including car hire (Toyota 4x4 or similar), but excluding international flights, with The Luxury Safari Company.
When to go
The cooler winter months, from June to September, are best, especially for game viewing.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
